One of the world’s greatest orchestras, the Berliner Philharmoniker, and its distinguished Principal Conductor Sir Simon Rattle, return to Los Angeles for the first time since 2003 to perform two concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Monday and Tuesday, November 23 and 24, at 8 p.m. The concerts, part of the LA Phil’s 2009/10 Visiting Orchestras series, are the last stops of the orchestra’s long-anticipated U.S. tour, and feature music by Brahms, Schoenberg and Wagner.

The stylistic war between Brahms and Wagner is resolved by Schoenberg’s embrace of both composers as illustrated in the program lineup on both nights. The Monday concert focuses on Brahms and opens with Schoenberg’s arrangement of that composer’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25. Premiered in 1861 in Hamburg, the piece was orchestrated by Schoenberg in 1937 and premiered by the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Music Director Otto Klemperer. The second work on Monday’s program is Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68.

Tuesday’s program begins with the Prelude to Act I of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers) was something the composer contemplated as a possible subject in 1845, and revisited in 1861 during a visit to a Venice museum when a 16th-century painting reminded him of the world of the mastersingers. The optimistic, light-hearted tone of the piece, along with the composer’s ability to tap in the nationalistic sentiment of German-speaking states at the time, made its premiere a great success. The program continues with Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony No. 1, Op. 9b. Published in 1906, this ground-breaking work, in which the composer pared the orchestral forces down to 15 solo instruments and encompassed the standard multi-movement symphony in a single composite movement, became a modernist icon, inspiring many similar works. Schoenberg conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the world premiere of the full orchestra version in 1936. The program concludes with Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, written shortly after his much-delayed First Symphony.

Sir Simon Rattle was named Chief Conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker in 2002, following a change in state law allowing the organization to become a self-governing public foundation. The orchestra recently announced that the British conductor has signed a contract to remain director until 2018.

The concerts are the first of the LA Phil’s Visiting Orchestras series 2009/10 season. The LA Phil welcomes two additional orchestras this season – Germany’s Leipzig Gewandhaus led by Italian conductor Ricardo Chailly in an all-Beethoven program (Februrary 17, 2010) and the Saint Louis Symphony with its heralded conductor David Roberston and guest violinist Gil Shaham (April 14, 2010).

Upbeat Live pre-concert events take place in Walt Disney Concert Hall’s BP Hall one hour prior to the concerts, and are free to all ticket holders. Russell Steinberg, composer, conductor, performer, Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, and a member of the faculty at UCLA, hosts.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Gustavo Dudamel, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable locations anywhere to experience music – Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the Association’s involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational concerts, children's programming and community concerts, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, 111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles

Visiting Orchestras

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009, AT 8 PM

BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER

SIR SIMON RATTLE, conductor

BRAHMS (orch. SCHOENBERG) Piano Quartet No. 1

BRAHMS Symphony No. 1

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009, AT 8 PM

BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER

SIR SIMON RATTLE, conductor

WAGNER Die Meistersinger, Prelude to Act I

SCHOENBERG Chamber Symphony No. 1

BRAHMS Symphony No. 2

Upbeat Live pre-concert events take place in Walt Disney Concert Hall’s BP Hall one hour prior to the concerts, and are free to all ticket holders. Russell Steinberg, composer, conductor, performer, Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, and a member of the faculty at UCLA, hosts.

Tickets ($55 - $215) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card by phone at 323.850.2000. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required; one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For information, please call 323.850.2000.